Chelsea went seven points clear at the top of the Premier League table with seven games to play after Cesc Fabregas's late goal sealed a 1-0 win away to strugglers Queens Park Rangers on Sunday.

It seemed Jose Mourinho's side would have to settle for a draw at Loftus Road in this clash between the two west London clubs at Loftus Road.

But after Chelsea goalkeeper Thibault Courtois had made a couple of fine saves, Fabregas broke the deadlock two minutes from time with the visitors' only shot on target of the whole match.

From a poor clearance by QPR goalkeeper Robert Green, Eden Hazard and Oscar worked the ball down the left before Spain midfielder and former Arsenal favourite Fabregas side-footed the ball in from 16 yards.

Victory left Chelsea seven points in front of second-placed Arsenal, with QPR remaining in the relegation zone.

"It is an important step," Chelsea manager Mourinho told Sky Sports.

"During the season you always have these moments where you lose and win points at end of the game. We lost points at the end at Old Trafford and won points in the last few minutes today."

The Portuguese boss added: "It is one step closer (to the title). We need three wins and two draws, when we have one match more to play than the other teams. Our situation is good. Pure mathematics. We need 11 points."

QPR midfielder Joey Barton made no attempt to hide the Hoops' disappointment after a loss that kept them two points from safety.

"We're devastated. We definitely deserved at least a point," Barton said.

"Greeny is gutted but he has probably saved us 10 or 12 points this season. If we play like that for the rest of the games we should be safe. We're gutted. The lads have put in everything in there."

Sunday's other top-flight match sees faltering champions Manchester City away to local rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Since the turn of the year, City have been eliminated from both the FA Cup and the Champions League.

Meanwhile, their hopes of retaining the English title have all but been scuppered by several damaging defeats.

Now they will kick-off in the Manchester derby in fourth place -- a point behind their local rivals and 12 adrift of Chelsea.

City manager Manuel Pellegrini did not pull any punches in interviews with several British newspapers published Sunday, saying: "It has not been a good season.

"It was not so bad until the end of 2014, when we were top of the table and also had the FA Cup and Champions League.

"But in the last three months we have thrown it into the garbage," the under-pressure Chilean admitted.